- made in a rush!
My first impressions of the Bazoucanfrom Shieldon Knives were not entirely positive. Unfortunately, that attitude has not changed over time. On the contrary, my prejudices against Pokémon knives have deepened. In the presentation of this knife, it was written that I hoped it would surprise me. It did not. It is exactly what it looks like, strange. Let me explain what is meant by that.
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| Shieldon Bazoucan |
The Bazoucan is a knife from Shieldon's simplest segment, called "Bard". This means that the materials are found a notch lower on the ladder compared to the finer models. Specifically, this means D2 steel in the blade and G10 in the handle. However, advanced shaped G10 can be added, and the ball bearings from the more expensive cousins remain, which is a plus.
Behind this, to me, somewhat strange creation is a designer with the nickname "Django". It is unclear what the person's real name is. Even more unclear is what the purpose of this knife was, apart from checking off yet another box in the line of Pokémons that I have by now understood have been given names to the knives. In my opinion, the design feels unfinished or, at worst, sloppy. As if someone wanted to finish the project before lunch.
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| The lines on this knife don't appeal to my eye. |
Short version: Bazoucan, a project from Shieldon Knives that feels like it needed to be finished quickly and whose raison d'être is therefore unclear.
Blade
The Bazoucan has a somewhat strange shape on the blade that makes me think of the jaw of an Indian gharial. Especially if the tubercle at the front had been a little larger. In terms of shape, it is also diffuse. As the back slopes, it should be a Wharncliffe, but the very rounded tip brings to mind a Sheepsfoot. In any case, it gives an almost straight edge and a virtually non-existent tip. To get the most out of such an edge, certain conditions are required. However, they are not met here.
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| A blade with slightly odd dimensions which matches its slightly odd appearance |
The length is just like everything else on this knife, odd. My calliper says 81 mm, which is uneven in inches too, which makes it all strange. The thickness is simpler with 3 mm, and the height is found between 24 and 18.8 mm.
The material is D2, which is not much to say about in this price range. A completely ok steel with that in mind, given that it has been hardened and heat-treated correctly, which is the impression I get here. The hardness is stated at 58-60 HRC, and there is no reason to doubt it, as the Bazoucan has kept its sharpness well. But the edge was not impressive from the beginning, on the other hand.
D2 is not completely stainless and is, therefore, a material I am not entirely fond of. But in this case, that problem has been avoided by providing the blade with some form of Ti-Ni coating.
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| A D2 steel blade with a TiNi finish |
The blade has then been given a flat sabre grind to a height of 15 mm. Behind the edge, the Bazoucan measures 0.5-0.6 mm. A geometry that matches any fixed-blade survival knife. It's durable as hell, but it doesn't cut particularly well. That's what I meant by the missing conditions.
It can be added that the knife doesn't cut well, regardless of the material. Cardboard, for example, can of course be cut; it would be strange otherwise, it is a knife after all, but it is slow. The poor geometry offers unexpectedly high resistance, and the ergonomics are not good. Since the edge is steep and the factory edge was certainly fairly smooth but only semi-sharp, the Bazoucan doesn't cut paper and thinner materials well either.
It is largely devoid of a point, so that detail is not much to talk about. This is not a knife you would choose if you were going to puncture something. Nor is it a knife you would carve with, so what the blade is used for is a bit unclear. If you turn the knife upside down and cut towards you, it can be used to cut rope. But that's about it.
Handle
The entire knife measures an odd 202 mm. Of that, the handle accounts for 115 mm. The available surface for the hand is 96 mm, as the flipper tab steals space.
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| A handle in multi-colored G10 |
The construction is proven. A steel frame, which is 1.5 mm thick, and is modestly lightened with a few drill holes and open in the back. There you will find an hourglass-shaped spacer.
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| Here you can see the many layers of the G10 material and the open back. |
The sides of the handle are made of G10, which in this case has been colored in something that they call "white, yellow, and black" on the website, but I don't know if I agree. Otherwise, the knife can be obtained in all-black if you prefer. Apart from the colour combination, the most striking thing about the hilts is that they are shaped. The sides are curved, and they have a pattern of ridges that extend along the surface. This is obviously where processing time and, therefore, money have been spent. As an extra decoration, the Bazoucan has also been given a collar around the adjustable pivot screw. The size of the screw is T8 and the other screws are T6.
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| A knife that feels in the hand like it looks, lumpy. But it's quite comfortable if you turn it upside down |
The knife is somewhat more comfortable in a hammer grip, as at least the back end of the clip ends up outside the hand, and you avoid that discomfort. However, the knife is most comfortable to hold in a reverse grip as the clip then ends up against the fingers instead, and the curved underside of the handle fills out the hand. Why a knife that is not a p'ikal is designed that way is beyond my understanding.
Then the "banana shape" of the knife, combined with an almost straight edge, makes it almost impossible to use the front part of the blade against a flat surface. It is barely possible to turn the wrist as much as required.
Opening and Lock
Since the Bazoucan has a blade hole that is mostly for decoration, even if it fails like that, you have to rely on a flipper. And what a flipper! It's big and bold and a real "pocket pecker" as Nick Shabazz would have said in his prime.
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| Bazoucan has a large but quite effective flipper tab |
Simply put, it is both too big and too pointed. However, the function is very good. The reason I wrote that the blade hole is mostly for decoration is that there is very little of it visible. When the thumb is put into what remains and begins the opening movement, it immediately stops against the part of the handle that constitutes the finger guard. It is a sloppy design. Has anyone tested opening the prototype?
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| The blade hole is mostly for looks; the function is substandard |
The large lever and ball bearings inherited from the slightly finer models give the blade a fairly good push. The flipper can also be both pressed down and pulled back, depending on preference. The function is therefore very good.
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| The lock is really well-made. |
In addition, it can be added that the knife has a solid lock. It works one hundred per cent and locks solidly without any play. This is, although Liner locks are sometimes not considered the strongest. Here, however, it is well done.
It is also relatively easy to release. So overall, an excellent lock.
To Carry
In the pocket, the Bazoucan could have been at least in the middle of the class if it weren't for a couple of details. The length is, as I said, eleven and a half centimetres, which is not extreme in any direction, although it is not a small knife. But then there was the thickness. This knife is, thanks to the shaped sides, almost 15 mm thick, which is quite a lot.
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| A fairly generic clip that can't be replaced |
Even worse, however, is the height, which, thanks to the hefty flipper, amounts to almost four centimetres. The weight is not too bad, as the scales stop at 116 g.
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| The clip is of the deep carry type, which unfortunately also makes it feel against the hand when the knife is used. |
The Bazoucan has a simple steel clip that is not removable. It is attached with two screws of size T6. The tension gets approved, and despitea very small ramp and being stingy with space under the clip itself, it works relatively well. It is of the "deep carry" type, which is what makes it when it comes to ergonomics, but makes the knife almost invisible when it is in a trouser pocket.
For some reason that I, like much else about this knife, don't understand, it comes with a large and unwieldy sheath made of flimsy nylon. It doesn't fit the knife very well and is obviously not made for this model specifically. But of course, if someone would rather carry their knife that way, there is at least one.
To Conclude
The Bazoucan is a knife I can't figure out. That was true at first glance, and I'm still scratching my head trying to understand. For example, why are basically all the lines on this knife broken? Look at the knife in profile, and you'll understand what I mean. The only thing that makes sense is that the front of the blade spine and the front of the handle slope at about the same angle. Then all harmony ends.
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| A knife with a slightly diffused look to it, it blends into the background somehow |
I don't know what to think of the blade shape. Or well, I know, the proportions are ugly with a sloping back that almost goes up to the tip, which in turn is so rounded that it is non-existent. The blade type must be a "Wharn-Foot" as it is a mishmash of a little bit of everything. Especially since Django provided the blade with a hole that is not good for anything except collecting debris.
According to the advertising text, the shape was chosen because it gives a "/../ strong and sturdy build /../" and gives "/../incredible performance/../". I will leave it to them. I argue that if you want a blade with this shape, it must be really thin behind the edge with a geometry that really cuts well. These are characteristics that are not found here!
In addition, the flipper is an abomination. Django or possibly Shieldon Knives seems to have missed the memo that said we left 2010 and that the knife industry has now moved on to more discreet flipper functions, whether they are found at the front or on the back of the handle. This one is not nice to the eye, even worse to the finger and terrible in the pocket. But in its defense it can be said that it works well to get the blade out. It would be strange otherwise with that lever.
Once out, you have a fairly blunt edge to work with, but no point, as said. Already a handicap. Then there was the ergonomics. According to Shieldon themselves, they say that G10 is what gives "/../ a comfortable grip/../". I think they missed that it is the design that determines it and not the material itself. In this case, it is not good. That is enough, more comments are not needed.
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| Shieldon Bazoucan was never a personal favourite. Maybe you appreciate it more? |
As you can see, the Bazoucan is not one of my favourites at this point. I think it's ugly, and I don't mean in a charming way, which can sometimes be the case, but just unattractive. Then there are several details that I don't appreciate, the worst of which is the poor blade geometry, closely followed by the large flipper and an uncomfortable handle. Or at least a grip that really doesn't suit my hands.
But if you ignore my personal preferences, the Bazoucan is a well-built knife with fully acceptable handling and a solid lock. The materials are also passable, and the price is not a deterrent, so if you have a fablesse for Pokémon and don't have a Bazoucan in your collection, you can go for it.
Specifications:
Length Overall: 202 mm
Length Folded: 115 mm
Weight:116 g
Blade Length: 81 mm
Blade Thickness: 3 mm
Blade Steel: D2
Handle: G10
Lock: Liner lock
Produced by: Shieldon Knives, made in China
/ J - not convinced
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